The History of the Wilson A2000: The Glove That Changed the Game

When you think of legendary baseball gloves, one name rises above nearly all others: the Wilson A2000. For over six decades, this iconic glove has defined what a high-performance baseball glove can be, blending elite craftsmanship, player-inspired design, and time-tested durability. But how did this glove come to be, and why does it still stand at the top of the glove hierarchy today? Let’s explore the journey of the Wilson A2000 and its impact on the game.

The Early Days: Crafting Baseball Gloves Before the A2000

Before the A2000, baseball gloves were often bulky, heavy, and designed more for hand protection than performance. Early gloves were an extension of work gloves, simple pieces of leather stitched together to deflect the ball, but with limited mobility and poor catching efficiency. The evolution of glove design was slow, with many innovations focused on incremental tweaks rather than revolution.

1957: The Birth of a Legend

The story of the A2000 begins in 1957, the year Wilson Sporting Goods introduced a glove that would forever change baseball glove design. Rather than relying on internal assumptions about what players needed, Wilson’s glove designers went straight to the best source of insight: the players themselves. They interviewed and consulted professional ballplayers about how gloves felt, how they should be shaped, and what features would improve performance.

By taking that feedback back to the factory and iterating prototypes, Wilson crafted a glove that was more than an incremental update, it was a breakthrough. This was the Wilson A2000. 

Unlike earlier gloves, the A2000 was a glove that didn't look like a hand.  It focused more on catching a ball.  A deeper pocket, a 40 degree tilt (like a closed hand, rather than an open hand), and a snap close hinge, all helped the player secure a catch with only one hand.  Freeing up the throwing hand and allowing the player to be more athletic.  After about 80 years off baseball gloves, they finally saw a major change. 

Featured key innovations of the A2000s include:

• A deep pocket that helped players secure catches more reliably.

• A revolutionized, "Snap-Action" that produced a more refined hinge design between the thumb and fingers, giving the glove a natural “jaw-like” action on impact.

• Better control and maneuverability, allowing players to catch, transfer, and throw with greater confidence.

These advancements helped fielders make plays that were previously difficult or awkward with older glove designs.

The A2000 didn’t just offer incremental improvements; it set a new standard for baseball gloves. In fact, the glove’s design has been so influential that nearly every modern glove pattern traces its lineage back to the original A2000.

Player-Driven Innovation and Shigeaki Aso

A defining element in the A2000’s success has always been player feedback. Wilson didn’t merely design gloves in isolation — they listened to what elite players wanted. Through decades of working with professionals, Wilson refined pocket depth, web styles, break-in characteristics, and wrist linings to suit position-specific needs.

A design feature that would become standard throughout the 1970s and 1980s was the Dual Hinge Web in 1963/64.  And besides a brief mistake of a foray into a different web design in 1966, the Dual Hinge Web has remained almost unchanged to today, and is still available on the A2000 - XLC (on their website).  It is still one of the most common web designs for pitchers due to its closed look and deep flexible pocket.

In 1974, the now famous Master Craftsman craftsman Shigeaki Aso, joined Wilson and began working on glove innovations.  In the Spring of 1987, Aso took a prototype infielder glove to Spring Training for players to try.  The glove featured a shallower pocket and an "H-web" design that allowed for faster transfers.  This model, which would become the Wilson A2000 1786, instantly became a favorite with players, and has since became the best selling model A2000 of all time.  As glove technology and player preferences continued to evolve, so did the A2000 line. 

This player-first philosophy ensured that the A2000 remained relevant through generational changes in the sport. Today, Major League ballplayers regularly choose the A2000 for its combination of feel, performance, and craftsmanship.

Continued Innovation: SuperSkin and Advanced Materials

While the A2000’s fundamental design has stood the test of time, Wilson has never been content to stop innovating.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, at the urging of Barry Bonds who wanted a lighter glove, Wilson introduced SuperSkin, a high-performance material born from experimenting with leather alternatives originally developed for basketballs. SuperSkin offered lighter weight and moisture resistance, applied selectively to glove construction to improve performance without compromising durability. 

Other advances over the years have included enhanced wrist linings like Dri-Lex to manage sweat and comfort, as well as modern leather-texturing technologies to improve ball grip and control.

The A2000’s Legacy Today

More than 60+ years after its introduction, the Wilson A2000 remains one of the most popular pro stock gloves in the game. Its legacy lives on not just in its own product line but in how all gloves are designed today. Its influence is unmistakable across youth, amateur, and professional baseball.

One of the more popular designs for youth and players with smaller hands is the Pedroia line of A2000 gloves.  Originally designed with Dustin Pedroia, the infield model was designed with a smaller hand stall and wrist opening to help the glove stay secure on a smaller hand while playing the game.

While Wilson has introduced newer premium lines, like the A2K, which uses even tighter-sorted Pro Stock Select leather and additional craftsmanship, the A2000 continues to be prized for its balanced performance, durability, and feel. 

Final Thoughts

From its groundbreaking debut in the late 1950s to its continued presence in ballparks around the world, the Wilson A2000 has earned its place in the pantheon of baseball greatness. It’s a glove shaped by players, refined by craftsmen, and beloved by generations.

Whether you’re a fan, a player, or a collector, understanding the history of the A2000 gives you insight not only into baseball gear but into how thoughtful design, rooted in real player needs, can change the game forever.

Let me know if you have ever used an A2000 and your thoughts on it!